


Stuck In My Ways

by violetshade



Series: Two Vibrant Hearts Could Change [8]
Category: Avenged Sevenfold
Genre: Brian's a sad crying mess, F/M, Syn apologizing like five times, aww poor Shads, mean Synyster, men's egos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 20:17:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13418853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetshade/pseuds/violetshade
Summary: As if Gates wasn't in enough trouble, he makes it worse.





	Stuck In My Ways

When he walked in, Matt rushed over to Syn, who was holding himself against the wall with one hand while hyperventilating.  
"Woah, dude. Breathe--" He wasn't ready for the fiery anger in Brian's eyes when the guitarist whirled on him.  
"Why'd you let her in here last night, Shadows?" His voice was eerily smooth as he stood up to Matt, "After all the times I kept her away from you when I knew you shouldn't be sleeping with her, you couldn't return the favor _once_?"

"Gates, this isn't his fault. It's ours." Shade stood in the doorway when Syn looked to see who had interrupted him.

She warily moved towards him, never having seen that look in his eyes before. Brian was seething--glaring down at her and waiting for her to get close.  
He continued, his voice stinging and vile and mocking, "And you. Couldn't stay away. You knew I'd make you come like no one ever has. _He's_ never made you do that. Were you going to tell him? No, probably not."  
Violet immediately slapped him hard across the face, tears threatening, "Why would you say that, Brian!? You're unbelievable. I love Matt more than life itself and that's better than anything you could ever give me."  
Shade hadn't seen the damaged, hurt look behind Matt's eyes at Syn's harsh words. After she stormed back out, his watery green eyes held Brian's still pissed off ones before he shook his head and walked out.  
  
Violet picked up her phone once she was in their room again and had half a mind to throw it against the wall.

_I'm blocking your number and Syn's and everyone else's. I want you out of my life_.

She immediately tried anyway, then tried a work number. Then she emailed her and tried to Facebook message her only to be blocked at every turn. She was angry, but she knew it was mostly at herself. She turned her attention to the hunched over form that sat on the edge of the other side of the bed.  
  
 _What the fuck was she supposed to say to him that he'd believe?_  
  
"Matt..." She touched his shoulder only to have him cower away.  
"I'm trying not to say anything to you right now, Violet, because I'm pretty sure I'll regret anything I have to say right now." His beautiful face was turned away from her.  
Her voice cracked, "I told you I didn't want to hurt you, baby. I love you."  
Matt grimaced and stood up, pacing away from her, "Don't _baby_  me right now, Violet. Was it that good? Is he that good? Does he give you something I can't?! What was he talking about Violet! Tell me!" His voice escalated until he was yelling at her.  
Now she was crying, desperately not wanting to tell him. He pulled her up by the arm and forced her chin up with one hand. Behind his angry gaze was still a thick veil of hurt that broke her heart. He'd never understand.  
"Out with it!!"  
"He...I, um, came...like _on_ him."  
It took a second for Matt to catch on, his eyes narrowing when he did, "You ejaculated?"  
She bit her lip and nodded.  
He flicked her chin away and stood up, "Yeah, you've definitely never done that with me. Have you with anyone?"  
"No."  
Shads laughed sarcastically and shook his head, "I'll be at the bar. Don't fucking come find me. I need time."  
"Matt!" She just sobbed as he left.  
  
Zacky wasn't sure who he should talk to first. He wanted to comfort Violet, but Brian's actions pissed him off so much he felt like he had to defend her first.  
A short, raging ball of fury, he charged into Brian's room, "Where do you get off, man, saying that stuff to her!? To _ANYONE_!? We get that you're hurting, but do you have to be such a fucking asshole about it?? What is with your filter!? You've never had one!!!"  
When Synyster looked up from where he was staring at his hands, sitting on the edge of the bed, Zacky regretted his words--a little. Tears were streaming over his high cheekbones and his eyes held the most pathetic puppy dog look he'd ever seen. Vengeance closed the door and walked over to him, holding Syn's head to his torso as Gates flung his arms around Zacky's waist.  
"Why am I such an asshole, Zack? I don't wanna be! Those words, they just, came out! Matt didn't deserve that, and neither did she. Fuck, she was such an angel last night and I've ruined fucking everything. Now everyone's mad at me." The sobbing was tearing at Zacky's heartstrings.  
"I can't lose her, Zack! What have I done....fuck, I'm gonna lose everything....why did I think I could do this?? I'm not good enough for her--"  
"Shhhh, Brian," Zack held his head where it was, running his other hand over his back, "Don't say that. You're new at this...she'll forgive you. We'll help you. It might take awhile, but trust me. You guys are meant to be together."  
Gates sniffled and pulled away, his sad brown eyes looking into his friend's bright green ones, "You think so?"  
Vengeance couldn't help but chuckle as he wiped Syn's tears away, "Who _are_ you, man? That confident, cocky guitarist that I've known my whole life? That's who she fell for. We'll use that. Ya know, if you see that guy anytime soon."  
Brian snickered lightly and leaned back in, still terrified.  
"I'm sorry, Zack. If only I'd told you, I wouldn't be in this mess. I shouldn't've hit you."  
Vengeance snickered also and hugged him back, "You'll make it up to me later, you weird, hot piece of ass."  
This made Brian smile, hug him tighter, but then break down again.  
  
From where she lay on the bed, in the fetal position and crying, she felt the bed give a little. She turned to find kind, green eyes looking down at her.  
"Don't get too close, Zack. I'm kind of leaving a trail of broken hearts right now."  
He laid down with her and gathered her in his bright arms, kissing her forehead, "Relationships aren't easy, Vi. You know that, but you've also had a lot less practice than people our age usually have. You and Matt have to figure out how this is going to work for your incredibly unique situation. Last night probably wasn't the best decision, but Jade kinda asked for it if that's what she asked of Brian. And you." He stroked her hair, "I don't even know why he said that, it didn't make any sense. What was he talking about?"  
When she told him, Zacky was dumbfounded, "Yeah, that probably hurt Shads' confidence pretty bad. This one you'll have to be careful with. Men's egos are fragile things."  
"How do I get across that I don't care? I love him, that's what matters."  
Vengeance laughed, "Christ, Violet, you've had to deal with enough dick to know that it doesn't matter whether or not it matters to you--it matters to _him_."  
She hit him on the arms for his comment.  
"Do you at least know how Brian did it?"  
Her face fell, "Not really. I mean...I'm pretty sure it was just the build up of it all and the fact that he had me strung out for so long....fucking tease. Other than that he wasn't doing anything different."  
"Whatever you do, don't say that he wasn't doing anything differently. That will tell him that the main difference is Brian himself. Tell him...some of what led up to it. How was he dragging it out? Maybe that'll work."  
"Oh, I know!" Her face lit up as she had an idea, "Shads and I kind of have this...explosive passion. It's always amazing, but honestly I guess it doesn't last all that long. We'd have a hard time doing what Brian and I did last night--neither of us would have that level of control. Plus, ya know, Syn has multiples. Like, tons of them."  
Zacky blushed and grinned, "Yeah, I wouldn't mention those. Matt knows about those anyway. But the rest, tell him that."  
"Thanks, Zack. You're a life saver."  
He held her close, "You can suck on me later. I come in all flavors."  
  
"That he does."  
  
The two wrapped up in each other turned towards the door to find Gates standing there.  
"If it isn't the ruiner of moments," Violet hid into Zack's chest, "Make him go away."  
"You have every single right to say that, Violet. Zack? Can I talk to her alone, please?"  
Despite Violet's insistent hands grabbing at him, the shorter man left the room and closed the door and stood watch over it, lest Matt returned.  
Gates laid next to her as she curled into herself, "Violet, I don't deserve your forgiveness for saying something so awful, but I guess I'm hoping you'll grant it anyway. If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of horrible with these emotions, mostly because they're new to me. You understand that side of it, they're new to you, too...but..." Brian used a single, long finger to force her chin up so she was looking at him, "I love your sister. She means the world to me and I'm not going to stop until I have her back and she's happy. But I've also got some pretty fucked up, confusing as all hell, intensely frustrating feelings for you. And I hate that. Last night was magical, baby, but I would give anything in this universe to go back to the way things were before Scream."  
"At the end of the day, Brian, we're still two sex addicts. It was going to happen eventually."  
He softly looked back at her, "Yeah...just the same....I'm sorry, Vi. I'm sorry for what I said and I'm sorry I can't resist you. I'm gonna make it up to you by making Matt come back to you."  
Her pupils dilated just with the mention of him. He smiled to himself, realizing in that moment just how jealous he was.  
"He's pretty pissed off, Brian. Maybe you should let him be."  
"I heard what you told Zack. Trust me, I can do this."  
  
Gates took a deep breath as he entered the room that was a dark haven hiding from the bright sunny day. Shadows' hurting honey gaze immediately looked sideways towards him without the singer's head turning. Even noticing he had gone straight for the whiskey at 11 in the morning, Gates sat next to him and motioned that he'd have the same.  
"You are the last person in the fucking world I wanna see right now, Brian."  
Syn kept his eyes forward, "I know. I shouldn't've said it."  
"How could you betray us like that, Gates? After everything between us lately. I didn't need to know that shit." He slammed down his drink, "Are you jealous?!" He shoved up onto his feet so they stood toe to toe.  
Brian stood up and daringly met his stare, "Yes. I am, Matt."  
Shadows was caught off guard by the honest answer accompanied by the naked look on his face. Matt could only narrow his eyes, growl, and sit back down to his glass of expensive whiskey.

Syn gave him a second before he continued, "I just admitted my extremely inappropriate feelings to the woman who loves you, Matt."

Matt angrily turned on him and huffed, " _WHAT?!_ "

"Easy. As I just told Vi, I am head over helpless heels in love with Jade. I need her so much. But...I do have feelings for Violet. It's useless to try and deny it at this point. And because of those, I'm naturally jealous of what you have with her. That, and I miss my girl. Shads, what you guys have is...not everyone gets to have that. Please don't waste a minute of it because of my sorry ass."

Matt turned back to his drink, still angry but relenting ever so slightly, "What the fuck did you do to my woman, Gates." It was a sad, defeated question that was said into his glass as his shoulders slumped.  
Brian drank his own, "Matt, you two could never do what we did last night--"

"You have a fucking weird way of going about this, dude." Shadows' swallowed his whiskey and his jaw clenched and his hand tightened around the glass. Brian knew he was walking a thin line.

"You and Violet. I've personally witnessed the deep heat that is you guys in bed together. It's so hot it burns everything-- _EVERYTHING_ \--in its path. You ever noticed how you just can't draw it out? Every time you want to take your time with her, it goes up in flames until you're in a sweaty mess wondering what just happened?"  
A slight curve at one end of Matt's mouth told Brian he was driving down the right path. Shads thought of the night recently when he'd been so worked up by her little schoolgirl outfit he thought they'd be having sex all fuckin' night--and sure enough, two of his orgasms and twenty minutes later, they were already done and in the shower together.

"Matthew, I just took my time. Took every ounce of control I've ever had, but I knew it'd probably be the only time we'd ever be together, so I wanted it to last. You can't blame me for that." Shads shrugged. "I made her wait for it. Tortured her with different things. It's the build up, Shads. Not me."  
"Good to know," Matt finally said flatly.  
"And honestly, she won't care if you never give her that. What you guys have is better."  
Shadows looked over at Brian through narrowed eyes to let him know he was just barely getting away with this. He didn't say anything, but stood up, putting a hand on Matt's shoulder, and went back to the room.  
  
Gates opened the door and ushered in Shadows, "As promised." And he shut the door.  
  
Violet sat up in bed, looking up at him hopefully as he crossed the room to her. He kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed with her. She sighed as his thick arms wrapped around her and laid her head on his hard chest. When Violet insisted on looking up into his softened green eyes, Matt traced her bottom lip with his thumb.  
"Matt....please know that I love you."  
He grinned, "I know, baby."  
"So...you're okay?"  
"Well, my bruised ego might not be able to bed you for a couple of days--okay, a couple of hours--but yes, baby, I'm okay."


End file.
